Across the country, thousands of people are choosing not just to remember, but to serve this 9/11. Benchmark International Arena in Tampa turned into one giant assembly line of volunteers filling up bags and sealing up meals.
“1,200 folks are going to come together and respond to that tragedy,” Thomas Mantz with Feeding Tampa Bay said.
Dozens of tables stretched across the arena, each one filled with volunteers.
“Everything good in life starts around a table. That’s where we come together, that’s where we connect,” Mantz said.
Volunteers packed hundreds of thousands of meals. Feeding Tampa Bay says these aren’t just meals moving down a line.
“It’s making sure that someone in our community that doesn’t have a meal today will have a meal tomorrow,” Mantz said.
It’s been 25 years since the Sept. 11 attacks.
“I was part of a Job Corps program where we would work one week and go to school the next week in Queens. That week, it wasn’t my turn to go. We had Edwin Diaz,” Eddison Santos said.
People are still carrying the weight of that day.
“He was a good friend. It’s like so many years later, but it still hurts,” Santos said.
The lesson that day taught still rings true.
“I think we should remember it. However, I think we should also say, what can we do to make society better and work together as a community, as a state and a country,” Tom Mason, Ford volunteer, said.
Each bag may be a small act of kindness, but together, they can make a big difference.
“There’s nothing better than the heart of the home and sharing connection over a meal. We’re able to pack all these meals for everyone to enjoy in the future,” Kristina Merritt Menke said.
This is part of a nationwide 9/11 day meal packing initiative, with a goal of packing 20 million meals across the country.